Fic: 'Amendment' SS/HG PG13
Title: Amendment
Author: softly_sweetly
Rating: PG13
Pairing(s): Severus/Hermione
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older.
Summary: Backed into a corner through right-wing morals, Hermione finds an ally in the strangest of places.
Warnings: None, other than a slightly fluffy ending.
Word Count: ~5,300
Author's Notes: L - thank you for everything, most especially holding my hand when I wibbled. S, P and G - thanks for the beta and helpful comments. Written for leni_jess in the 2008 round at harry_holidays. Counts to prompt #3 Be Great in Act as You Have Been in Thought - Shakespeare of my mission_insane Themed Table: Quotes
Hermione considered the advert carefully, wondering if it could be him. After he'd recovered from the grievous wounds inflicted on him by Nagini, Severus had gone into what she was sure he'd term reclusion, but everyone else termed hiding. Then six months ago, there had been fanfare in the Potions journals, heralding a master brewer who worked by Owl; Mr Krüger. Hermione herself had purchased a few potions from him, and there had been something in them that had tickled at the back of her mind.
Now, as she read the short advertisement that told of a job working under this mysterious potions master so that he could expand his business, and was sharp and cold enough that Hermione could read the condescending inflection in every syllable, she wondered if her original suspicions had been true and Severus had indeed resurfaced, albeit under a pseudonym.
Hermione needed a job, but she wondered if she really needed a job badly enough to endure working with Severus Snape. As if to prompt her decision, the post owl swooped in with the morning Prophet in its beak. There, on the front page, was the latest amendment to the Restoring Wizarding Britain directive, voted into law during the Wizengamot session the night before. Hermione had been hoping that it wouldn't go through, but from the cheery pictures, she could see she was one of the few that felt that way.
After threatening it for weeks, the Ministry had now, through stealth and increments, made it law. Any woman of child-bearing age not in full-time employment was expected to become a wife, and thus a mother. To widen the gene-pool and restore the numbers of witches and wizards in Britain, the Ministry had begun by offering heavy tax-breaks to married couples who had more children. This had soon expanded to involve financial incentives for young couples to get married and start families. Then, when Kingsley had lost out in the race for Minister to a highly conservative witch named Mafalda Young, a whole slew of amendments had been brought in. Those who were childless at thirty would be subjected to a tax. Those who were single would be subjected to a tax. And now, women of childbearing age who were not in full-time employment were going to be railroaded into getting married and procreating or adopting.
It sickened Hermione, the subtle and not-so-subtle herding of a generation into making choices it would come to regret was almost enough to push her from the Wizarding world altogether. But, it wasn't as though the Muggle world was much different - different issues, same injustices - and at least here she had her friends.
Shaking off the beginnings of her righteous anger, Hermione Summoned a quill to her and tore the advertisement from the back page of the journal. Pulling a sheet of parchment towards her, she began to compose her CV.
*******************
Severus eyed the application in front of him with a mixture of intrigue and disdain. Though the grades reported were outstanding - obviously Granger had concentrated when she returned to school to complete her exams - and the work experience was the perfect grounding for the type of work she would be doing, it was still Granger. Bossy, assuming, smug little know-it-all Hermione Granger, whose very voice set Severus' teeth on edge.
She was, however, the best of the applicants, and he needed an assistant - demand for his potions was high and he did not have the ability to produce at a rate that would meet the demand. So, he had called her for an interview at the large country house he'd bought on the outskirts of Devon, where he had the freedom to brew late into the night, and a rich and bountiful forest from which he could obtain almost all of the common ingredients he required.
Looking up as his wards shivered, Severus stepped to the window and peered out. The figure in the distance looked familiarly bushy-haired, so he lowered his wards momentarily, allowing her to step through before he raised them again. Setting the teapot over the fire, Severus checked that the high neck of his robes was still in place, and moved to the front door. With skill, he opened it just as she raised her hand to knock, wanting to throw her off her game so as to get honest answers and not the script she would no doubt have prepared for the interview. "Miss Granger."
"Mr Snape," she dipped her head respectfully and he held out his hand to her. "Thank you for considering my application worth pursuing."
"Your qualifications warranted an interview. If you'll follow me," Severus turned and walked into his study, taking the teapot from the fire and gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. As Granger sat down, he poured tea into two bone china teacups. "Milk?"
"Please, one sugar."
Adding the milk to both cups, Severus stirred a sugar into Granger's and set the cup and saucer in front of her. Putting the pot back on the fire, Severus sat down and looked at the resume in front of him. "It says here you worked in Germany for three months?"
"Yes, I studied under Herr Köch."
"He's a very talented brewer." Severus held a lot of professional respect for the man and knew that he took on students very selectively. Scanning his eyes down the page, Severus picked up on another area of note. "You also worked on a research panel at St. Mungo's?"
"Yes, I did."
"Tell me about that." As Granger spoke, Severus found himself surprised by her knowledge. Maturity had tempered her, and she no longer sounded like a text-book, speaking with an intelligence that was neither blunt nor obviously lacking in any area. The panel she'd been involved with had made successful changes to the Wolfsbane potion, and from what Severus had read in the journals and publications, the work was complex and rigorous. Though she downplayed her part and spoke of the potion as a group discovery, Severus suspected Granger had been more than a twig in the broomstick, but in fact had been the varnish pulling the whole thing together. As she brought her monologue to a close, Severus couldn't help but be impressed. "You have the knowledge and experience to go into business alone; why apply for a subservient position?"
Here she faltered, and Severus leant forwards a little, watching her body language as she answered him. "Well, I suppose… I don't really have experience of the business side of the job. I wouldn't feel comfortable starting up my own business until I knew the other side of it, not just the brewing. And I still feel like I have a lot to learn about brewing, especially in the more specialised areas of pain relief and appearance alteration, which I know from your research that you excel in."
The compliment seemed like a genuine one; Severus nodded acceptance of it as he took his cup and sipped slowly. Setting it back on the saucer, he stood up and gestured to the hallway. "As a part of the interview, I would like to observe you brewing. If you'll follow me, we'll go down to my laboratory."
Granger followed him, and Severus smirked at her gasp of amazement when they entered the lab. It was his pride and joy, and as Severus turned to her, he caught Granger staring around, open-mouthed in awe. "You have half an hour to brew a basic Pepper-Up potion. Begin."
She paused for a moment, looking around, but quickly walked over to the nearest work table. The ingredients cupboard was open, and Severus took a seat as he watched her light a fire underneath the cauldron, and cross to the cupboard. Brewed in the standard manner, Pepper-Up took roughly an hour to make. There were, as with any potion, ways around this, and Severus wanted to see how Granger adapted potions to suit her purpose. Any fool could follow a set of instructions and brew a passable potion, but it took real talent to utilise your knowledge to brew a potion when your time frame or ingredient list did not tally with the common methodology.
He watched as she created the base of the potion, still following the conventional steps, but pausing before adding the willow bark. Leaning forward a little in his chair, he fought the urge to smirk as she tipped in three droplets of Dryad blood. It was an inspired move, one he had never thought of himself, as it would speed up the brewing process. Severus himself had always favoured adding crushed fire ants at the final stage, to kick-start the potion and give it the added bite that extended brewing normally provided.
She also added a little moonflower, which Severus knew gave the potion a more palatable flavour, and set a vial of her potion on the work table with just over five minutes to spare. Standing, Severus took the vial and slipped it into his pocket, holding his hand out to lead her back up the stairs. Once in the hallway, he held out his hand and shook hers briefly. "Thank you. Of course, there are many other applicants. I will be in contact when all the interviews are complete," This was a lie, but he didn't see why Granger needed to know that she was one of only three applicants he would consider allowing to brew in his presence; a little added stress never hurt anyone.
"Thank you for your time, Mr Snape." She flashed him a quick, tight smile and opened the front door, walking down the path to escape his wards and Disapparate. Severus closed the door and waited for the tingle of magic as she crossed his wards before he retired to his lounge.
Infuriatingly, having already interviewed the other two applicants, he knew Granger was the best of them. But before he could make a decision, Severus had to reconcile himself to the idea of working in close proximity to Granger; something he had always felt he would actively avoid.
*******************
If she hadn't been so in need of employment, Hermione would have told Snape to shove his job offer up his arse. Two weeks he'd made her wait for a reply. Two weeks!. Scoffing, she paused in her pacing to pick up the parchment and read the snotty letter once again.
Ms Granger,
Due to your passable Curriculum Vitae, and your adequate brewing skills, I am
prepared to offer you a position within my employ as a Junior Brewer.
Your hours of work will be flexible, to suit the brewing schedule, but you are
guaranteed six days off a month. However, these may not fall in the week leading up
to the Full Moon, as this week sees an increase in demand for Creature-related
potions. Your wages will be paid monthly, at a basic rate of two hundred Galleons,
with bonuses related to production at quarterly intervals.
You will be at my laboratory at 7am sharp on Monday morning for your induction,
and to receive your brewing schedule for this month.
You are to complete the enclosed form in triplicate, sending one copy to the Ministry,
bringing one with you on Monday, and retaining the final copy for yourself.
Sincerely,
S. Snape
WBP with Honours
WMP with Honours
Member of the Society of Master Brewers
Order of Merlin 2nd Class
Resisting the urge to ball the parchment up and fling it in the hearth, Hermione tossed it onto the table and crossed to put the kettle on. How could one man be so assured of his own superiority? The entire tone of his letter was so demeaning, so holier-than-thou, and it irritated her to no end.
Then, as if to stop her indulging her anger and sending him a sharply worded rejection Owl, the post owl flew through the open kitchen window and held its leg out for payment. Slipping eight Knuts into the pouch, Hermione took the morning Prophet and sighed. A nice, big, sycophantic article on what an amazing Minister Mafalda Young was, and how successful her latest amendment was proving. How something that had only been in place for four weeks could be heralded a success already was beyond Hermione, but as she had no intention of being shunted into a marriage, there was not much she could do except accept the offer of employment, and try not to push Snape into a boiling cauldron.
*******************
"You're working for who?"
"Snape, and will you keep your voice down, Ron!" Hermione snapped, glancing around them to check none of their fellow patrons were listening in. Everyone else was holding their own conversations, which left her and her two best friends relatively undisturbed in their little corner of the pub. Sighing, Hermione drew lines in the condensation on her pint, and continued talking. "He works under a pseudonym, so the two of you cannot go mouthing off about this, okay? I could lose my job before I've even started it."
"Why you'd want to work for that greaseball is anyone's guess."
"Perhaps because I don't fancy being married off to any passing wizard? Not that I'd expect you two to understand, settled as you are with Ginny and Lavender."
Ron had the decency to look embarrassed, but Harry looked thoughtful, and Hermione was resigning herself to yet more defending of her position when he spoke quietly. "I suppose… he might have changed. It might not be so bad."
"You're married so you don't… what? You hate Snape."
Harry shrugged, looking down at his pint to avoid not only Ron's, but Hermione's incredulous gaze. "Well, he might have changed a bit. And Snape hates me."
"Because he was sweetness and light to me!" Hermione snapped sarcastically.
"He employed you, didn't he? Maybe he only hated you because he had to, to survive. He couldn't exactly be nice to you when his every move was getting fed back to Voldemort."
"What about first year? None of us knew Voldemort had returned back then!" Ron said, flattening his hand on the table triumphantly, either because he thought he'd won the argument or because he was finally getting used to saying the name without stuttering.
"No, but Dumbledore always knew he'd come back," Harry countered, sipping at his pint before he continued, "And Snape might have been a bastard, but he was an intelligent bastard. He'd have known there was a chance Voldemort would return and that he would be put back into the trap of being a spy. And even if he didn't think that, considering what he was asked to do in the war can you blame him for being bitter?"
Silence followed Harry's words and Hermione was about to agree when Ron put his pint down and addressed her seriously. "Hermione, have you got a quill?"
"Have I… why?"
"So I can Owl Ginny and ask for Harry's bollocks back."
"Oi!" Harry thumped Ron on the arm and the tense atmosphere that had begun to descend was broken as they laughed together. "You try having three kids and not learning to be tolerant."
"I'm as tolerant as they come, mate."
"Only because you're too scared of what Lavender would do if you weren't!" Hermione chipped in, shielding her face with her hand as Ron ran his fingers over his glass and flicked condensation at her. "Okay, come on. Enough work talk; if I can survive you two, I can survive working with Snape. Ginny said she'd send you with pictures of Lily, Harry; let's see them."
*******************
Granger showed up spot on seven on Monday morning, in a white blouse and prim grey skirt. She looked older than her years, and for a moment Severus saw the toll she had taken from the War. But then she smiled in greeting, and he was reminded that she walked away unscathed and unscarred, a fêted hero who had chosen to fight.
Part of the reason Severus had withdrawn from the Wizarding world was the praise heaped upon those that fought on the side of the light. The younger ones had made no valiant choice, but merely followed in their parents' footsteps like mindless sheep. Granger had done what her friends did, claimed the moral high ground because of this, and it still irritated him greatly.
Leading her down into the laboratory, Severus took a seat at one of the workbenches and waited for her to sit down next to him. Pushing a pile of parchment in front of her, he explained her job, what she would be expected to do, and detailed her schedule for the first few weeks. For her part, she listened intently and didn't question any of his directives. Finishing up, Severus stood and gestured to the lab. "For today, you can acquaint yourself with the lab. I have a standing order from St. Mungo's for various stock potions; produce some of those and learn the feel of the equipment here. Then tomorrow you can begin your assigned potions."
She worked quietly and efficiently, which allowed Severus to focus on his own brewing. Though he was hyper-aware of another person in what had always been his solitary sanctuary, he didn't find Granger's presence as gruelling as he had feared. He'd occasionally look up to check on her and find her silently mouthing the names of the ingredients and the steps she was taking, but she never faltered under his gaze, too engrossed in her own work to feel the weight of his stare.
When the clock chimed midday, Severus looked up and caught sight of the neat vials, all full of Pepper-Up potion. "Are they labelled?"
"Yes; do they need boxing too?"
"They do. Put them in the boxes addressed to St Mungo's, and I will send them after lunch. Do you have any allergies?"
It seemed to take Granger a moment to understand his question, and Severus wondered if he had perhaps been remiss in attributing intelligence to her. "Oh, no, you don't have to cook for me."
"You brought lunch with you?"
"Well, no."
"We are in the middle of the countryside Ms Granger; you are not under the impression you can just pop out, are you?"
"No… no, I'm not," there was a splash of colour in her cheeks as she answered him, her eyes not meeting his.
"Then do you have any allergies?"
"No, none."
"Good. Box these vials and then the kitchen is on the left." Severus swept up the stairs leaving her to box the vials, assuming she would be capable enough to manage that unsupervised. Once in the kitchen he put a pot of tea on the stove and set about preparing lunch. It felt strange to be preparing food for someone other than himself, and Severus subconsciously found himself making an effort, preparing chicken salad sandwiches as well as they could be. As he set both plates on the kitchen table, Granger walked in and cleared her throat. "Tea?"
"Please. Where's the bathroom?"
"At the top of the stairs," Severus made the tea as Granger left, presumably to wash up, and she reappeared just as he was adding the milk and sugar. Putting the cup in front of her plate, he sat down and sipped at his own tea. It felt incredibly strange to be in the company of another person, and Severus wondered if he should attempt to make conversation.
But, as Granger was making no similar effort, Severus decided it would be pointless to try; it was not in his nature and even Granger would see through him.
*******************
Worryingly, after a month working with her, Severus still had no inclination to hex Hermione senseless. He'd even started thinking of her as Hermione, and not Granger. She was occasionally Woman, when she was being particularly trying with regards to potions or making him take Pepper-Up when he had a cold, but even when he spat that at her she just rolled her eyes and slipped the potion in his tea when he wasn't looking. His first mouthful of Pepper-Up laced tea had brought tears to his eyes, not only because the dosage was so high, but because he'd never imagined Hermione could be so underhanded and Slytherin.
She was full of surprises in that manner, and Severus hadn't expected to actually enjoy having someone else working in his lab. She kept to her own side, spoke only when it was necessary, and showed a diligence and aptitude that would take her far. By rights, she could do this job alone and earn a lot more money, but Severus knew that was not an option for her at the moment.
He followed the news, and they talked over meals. Severus despised the new legislations as much as Hermione did, could see in them the seeds of problems that he had lived through once before and did not wish to live through again.
Looking down at the headline of the paper and the article that followed it, Severus sipped his morning tea and waited for the crack of Apparation. As the clock hit seven and he didn't hear it, he became a little worried, but the whoosh of the Floo set his nerves to rest. "You did not Apparate?"
"I'd have splinched myself in anger," Hermione snapped, hanging her cloak on the stand by the kitchen door and sitting at the table, taking the cup Severus had prepared for her and drinking deeply. "It isn’t enough that they tax me almost as much as my wages, and that I'm made to feel like a pariah for not playing happy families, now they're talking about putting us all in hostels!"
"It's merely a suggestion."
"So were the taxes, until that bitch made them law." Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione's strong words - she rarely raised her voice or used coarse language, so to hear her shouting it so violently at the Minister spoke volumes about how angered she was. "Within weeks she'll put it to the vote and all single women will lose their homes and be forced into glorified pens, where impotent little wizards can peruse them like cattle and choose the one they want."
Severus smirked, making Hermione slap her hand down on the table. "What is so funny, Severus?"
"Your over-the-top ire and metaphors. What you are proposing would be tantamount to prostitution and our dear Minister would not allow that."
"Severus, this amendment will take the home of every unmarried woman."
"No, it will suggest that single women live in shared houses to free up homes for couples and young families. In practice, I agree with you, but in theory the two appear different."
Hermione seemed to deflate, her anger seeping out of her as she sipped her tea and Severus watched her. "How can this be? How can people let this happen and why is it only the women who are done down by all these political constraints?"
"Because that is the way it is. The majority of our society are those in families, those who wish to be in a family. As long as the amendments benefit the majority there is no need for those people to fight for the ones who do not benefit."
"And Niemöller is rolling in his grave." Severus quirked a brow in confusion, and Hermione elaborated. "A pastor, a famous poem is attributed to him First They Came…."
"When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out."
"You know it?"
"Of it. Hermione, surely a woman of your intelligence cannot fail to realise that the world works in this way. It is not until the danger comes for them that people even consider fighting back, and you yourself know what a battle resistance is." Hermione's eyes flicked briefly to his neck and Severus fought the urge to cover his scar with his hand. He was relaxed enough in her company to not wear high-necked robes continuously, but there was something about having her see his injuries that unsettled him. Clearing his throat, Severus stood up and gestured towards the corridor. "Perhaps you should use your time away from work to search out a suitable mate."
"I'm not getting married just to satisfy some shrivelled old bint who thinks forcing a generation to procreate won't cause huge problems in twenty years."
As she flounced out of the kitchen and down the stairs into the lab, Severus couldn't help but smile at her. In her own time, she would make someone a good partner.
*******************
Wizengamot votes YES on Amendment 34C
Hermione threw the paper across the kitchen, looking around at her cosy flat and wondering what kind of family would even fit in here, let alone manage to live happily here. But now, if a family decided they wanted to live in her one bedroom flat, under a shag-happy gay couple and next door to a deaf old witch who played the wireless at full volume all night, then Hermione would be forced out of her home. Not with such clear cut methods as an eviction notice, but through crippling taxes if she should refuse.
Not for the first time, Hermione crossed to the phone and picked it up, finger poised to dial her parents' number and announce that she was coming home to them. And not for the first time, she put the phone down and slumped against the wall, torn between wanting to escape the moral madness that had descended on the Wizarding world, and wanting to stay connected to the world she had fought for and felt at home in for the first time in her life.
The world she'd fought for, which was slowly being returned to the same state as the one she'd thought they rescued it from. She couldn't just sit back and take it, couldn't allow herself to be pushed into either an unwanted relationship or financial ruin. Summoning her cloak, Hermione swung it around her shoulders and stepped on the spot, focusing on Severus' home and Apparating directly into his living room.
"Not afraid of splinching this morning?"
"Severus, I think I need to quit."
For a brief moment a look of something like regret swept over Severus' face, but his voice was as steady as always when he asked, "For any particular reason, or merely to escape my foreboding presence?"
"To fight these ridiculous amendments."
"Aaah, of course. And what will this one be? It will be so hard to better spew."
Hermione ignored the jibe and helped herself to tea from the pot, sitting at the other end of the sofa and folding one leg under her. Hidden beneath the teasing was very real concern, and Hermione wondered when exactly she'd learnt how to read what was unsaid in Severus' words. "Do you think I'll have a chance, to challenge these amendments?"
"Honestly? Not without a job. Unemployed and single, you appear a bitter shrew. Retain your job and argue from the standpoint of a career woman."
"Sage advice, or else you just want to keep me around." Severus smiled briefly at her, and Hermione grinned back. "So, you often tell me how omniscient you are; tell me how I should best fight this battle?"
"On their Quidditch pitch. Launch an objection with the Wizengamot, use precedent and past cases to back up yours, and challenge only one amendment. If you win, you can go on to challenge others, and your victory will rally people to your cause much more eloquently than any amount of campaigning. Taking it one step at a time, as they have done, is your greatest chance of success."
Nodding, Hermione drained her cup and set it on the coffee table. "Will you help me?"
"Perhaps."
*******************
Severus had helped her, even going so far as to turn away paltry business to free up more time for them to research. Hermione had enlisted the help of friends and friends of friends, using her persuasive charm to gain supporters. Severus had exchanged tight smiles with these supporters at the first meeting Hermione called to order, but beyond that had kept himself in the background, researching past cases and helping Hermione where she asked for it.
Now, he waited; pacing the lab and giving only slight attention to the cauldrons bubbling away. After almost a year of campaigning, of filling in forms and appealing to members of the Wizengamot, Hermione had secured the full-panel hearing she needed to appeal amendment 34C. Severus had declined to go with her, painfully aware how it would look, a former Death Eater and recluse by her side. But that did not stop him worrying or cursing the clock hands for moving so slowly around the hours.
Hearing the snap of Apparation upstairs, Severus cast stasis charms over his cauldrons and climbed the stairs, coming out into the hallway just as Hermione turned out of the living room. "Well?"
"They upheld the appeal! The amendment will be repealed effective immediately!"
The joy on Hermione's face was infectious and Severus smiled as he stepped forward, driven by the urge to congratulate the woman. Intending nothing more than a brief embrace, Severus found himself angled towards Hermione, her lips against his in a brief kiss. Stunned, Severus drew back, mouth already opening to apologise and excuse himself.
But instead of cursing him or laughing at him, Hermione's hands cupped his face and she leant closer, pressing their lips together in something gentler, more deliberate than the accidental kiss that had startled Severus so. Without really thinking about it, Severus leant into the kiss, resting his hand on Hermione's waist as they embraced. Had his increasing tolerance of her - increasing enjoyment of her company - been something more than platonic admiration?
Pushing the swirling questions to the side, Severus leant back and cleared his throat, trying to keep his expression clear and his voice steady. "Congratulations."
Hermione looked as stunned as he felt as she answered, "I couldn't have done it without you. But this is only the beginning, Severus."
Wondering if she'd intended the words to have so many interpretations, Severus nodded slowly. "Yes, it is."
*******************
It had taken her nearly five years, but Hermione had finally achieved her end goal, had finally repealed not just each increasingly draconian amendment, but the entire Restoring Wizarding Britain directive itself. Apparating home, she descended the stairs carefully and checked that the potions brewing were simple and easy to ignore for a few minutes before she cleared her throat to announce her presence.
Straightening up from the cauldron he was bent over, Severus smiled at her and crossed to where she stood, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek and arching a brow questioningly. Hermione smiled, still a little too overcome to speak without hr voice trembling. "It was a landslide vote to repeal it and it'll be written out of law tomorrow. We've finally done it!"
"You finally did it, Hermione. Though perhaps, as a wife and expectant mother, you may come to regret appealing against so many tax-breaks and financial incentives?"
Laughing, Hermione flattened her hand over Severus' where it lay on the swell of her stomach. "No, of course not. What price freedom of choice?"
"Hmm, we'll see if that's your stance when the bills start rolling in. Children are expensive."
"Then it's lucky my husband owns his own successful business, isn't it," Hermione smiled, leaning up to wipe away Severus' smirk with a kiss.
Author: softly_sweetly
Rating: PG13
Pairing(s): Severus/Hermione
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older.
Summary: Backed into a corner through right-wing morals, Hermione finds an ally in the strangest of places.
Warnings: None, other than a slightly fluffy ending.
Word Count: ~5,300
Author's Notes: L - thank you for everything, most especially holding my hand when I wibbled. S, P and G - thanks for the beta and helpful comments. Written for leni_jess in the 2008 round at harry_holidays. Counts to prompt #3 Be Great in Act as You Have Been in Thought - Shakespeare of my mission_insane Themed Table: Quotes
Hermione considered the advert carefully, wondering if it could be him. After he'd recovered from the grievous wounds inflicted on him by Nagini, Severus had gone into what she was sure he'd term reclusion, but everyone else termed hiding. Then six months ago, there had been fanfare in the Potions journals, heralding a master brewer who worked by Owl; Mr Krüger. Hermione herself had purchased a few potions from him, and there had been something in them that had tickled at the back of her mind.
Now, as she read the short advertisement that told of a job working under this mysterious potions master so that he could expand his business, and was sharp and cold enough that Hermione could read the condescending inflection in every syllable, she wondered if her original suspicions had been true and Severus had indeed resurfaced, albeit under a pseudonym.
Hermione needed a job, but she wondered if she really needed a job badly enough to endure working with Severus Snape. As if to prompt her decision, the post owl swooped in with the morning Prophet in its beak. There, on the front page, was the latest amendment to the Restoring Wizarding Britain directive, voted into law during the Wizengamot session the night before. Hermione had been hoping that it wouldn't go through, but from the cheery pictures, she could see she was one of the few that felt that way.
After threatening it for weeks, the Ministry had now, through stealth and increments, made it law. Any woman of child-bearing age not in full-time employment was expected to become a wife, and thus a mother. To widen the gene-pool and restore the numbers of witches and wizards in Britain, the Ministry had begun by offering heavy tax-breaks to married couples who had more children. This had soon expanded to involve financial incentives for young couples to get married and start families. Then, when Kingsley had lost out in the race for Minister to a highly conservative witch named Mafalda Young, a whole slew of amendments had been brought in. Those who were childless at thirty would be subjected to a tax. Those who were single would be subjected to a tax. And now, women of childbearing age who were not in full-time employment were going to be railroaded into getting married and procreating or adopting.
It sickened Hermione, the subtle and not-so-subtle herding of a generation into making choices it would come to regret was almost enough to push her from the Wizarding world altogether. But, it wasn't as though the Muggle world was much different - different issues, same injustices - and at least here she had her friends.
Shaking off the beginnings of her righteous anger, Hermione Summoned a quill to her and tore the advertisement from the back page of the journal. Pulling a sheet of parchment towards her, she began to compose her CV.
*******************
Severus eyed the application in front of him with a mixture of intrigue and disdain. Though the grades reported were outstanding - obviously Granger had concentrated when she returned to school to complete her exams - and the work experience was the perfect grounding for the type of work she would be doing, it was still Granger. Bossy, assuming, smug little know-it-all Hermione Granger, whose very voice set Severus' teeth on edge.
She was, however, the best of the applicants, and he needed an assistant - demand for his potions was high and he did not have the ability to produce at a rate that would meet the demand. So, he had called her for an interview at the large country house he'd bought on the outskirts of Devon, where he had the freedom to brew late into the night, and a rich and bountiful forest from which he could obtain almost all of the common ingredients he required.
Looking up as his wards shivered, Severus stepped to the window and peered out. The figure in the distance looked familiarly bushy-haired, so he lowered his wards momentarily, allowing her to step through before he raised them again. Setting the teapot over the fire, Severus checked that the high neck of his robes was still in place, and moved to the front door. With skill, he opened it just as she raised her hand to knock, wanting to throw her off her game so as to get honest answers and not the script she would no doubt have prepared for the interview. "Miss Granger."
"Mr Snape," she dipped her head respectfully and he held out his hand to her. "Thank you for considering my application worth pursuing."
"Your qualifications warranted an interview. If you'll follow me," Severus turned and walked into his study, taking the teapot from the fire and gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. As Granger sat down, he poured tea into two bone china teacups. "Milk?"
"Please, one sugar."
Adding the milk to both cups, Severus stirred a sugar into Granger's and set the cup and saucer in front of her. Putting the pot back on the fire, Severus sat down and looked at the resume in front of him. "It says here you worked in Germany for three months?"
"Yes, I studied under Herr Köch."
"He's a very talented brewer." Severus held a lot of professional respect for the man and knew that he took on students very selectively. Scanning his eyes down the page, Severus picked up on another area of note. "You also worked on a research panel at St. Mungo's?"
"Yes, I did."
"Tell me about that." As Granger spoke, Severus found himself surprised by her knowledge. Maturity had tempered her, and she no longer sounded like a text-book, speaking with an intelligence that was neither blunt nor obviously lacking in any area. The panel she'd been involved with had made successful changes to the Wolfsbane potion, and from what Severus had read in the journals and publications, the work was complex and rigorous. Though she downplayed her part and spoke of the potion as a group discovery, Severus suspected Granger had been more than a twig in the broomstick, but in fact had been the varnish pulling the whole thing together. As she brought her monologue to a close, Severus couldn't help but be impressed. "You have the knowledge and experience to go into business alone; why apply for a subservient position?"
Here she faltered, and Severus leant forwards a little, watching her body language as she answered him. "Well, I suppose… I don't really have experience of the business side of the job. I wouldn't feel comfortable starting up my own business until I knew the other side of it, not just the brewing. And I still feel like I have a lot to learn about brewing, especially in the more specialised areas of pain relief and appearance alteration, which I know from your research that you excel in."
The compliment seemed like a genuine one; Severus nodded acceptance of it as he took his cup and sipped slowly. Setting it back on the saucer, he stood up and gestured to the hallway. "As a part of the interview, I would like to observe you brewing. If you'll follow me, we'll go down to my laboratory."
Granger followed him, and Severus smirked at her gasp of amazement when they entered the lab. It was his pride and joy, and as Severus turned to her, he caught Granger staring around, open-mouthed in awe. "You have half an hour to brew a basic Pepper-Up potion. Begin."
She paused for a moment, looking around, but quickly walked over to the nearest work table. The ingredients cupboard was open, and Severus took a seat as he watched her light a fire underneath the cauldron, and cross to the cupboard. Brewed in the standard manner, Pepper-Up took roughly an hour to make. There were, as with any potion, ways around this, and Severus wanted to see how Granger adapted potions to suit her purpose. Any fool could follow a set of instructions and brew a passable potion, but it took real talent to utilise your knowledge to brew a potion when your time frame or ingredient list did not tally with the common methodology.
He watched as she created the base of the potion, still following the conventional steps, but pausing before adding the willow bark. Leaning forward a little in his chair, he fought the urge to smirk as she tipped in three droplets of Dryad blood. It was an inspired move, one he had never thought of himself, as it would speed up the brewing process. Severus himself had always favoured adding crushed fire ants at the final stage, to kick-start the potion and give it the added bite that extended brewing normally provided.
She also added a little moonflower, which Severus knew gave the potion a more palatable flavour, and set a vial of her potion on the work table with just over five minutes to spare. Standing, Severus took the vial and slipped it into his pocket, holding his hand out to lead her back up the stairs. Once in the hallway, he held out his hand and shook hers briefly. "Thank you. Of course, there are many other applicants. I will be in contact when all the interviews are complete," This was a lie, but he didn't see why Granger needed to know that she was one of only three applicants he would consider allowing to brew in his presence; a little added stress never hurt anyone.
"Thank you for your time, Mr Snape." She flashed him a quick, tight smile and opened the front door, walking down the path to escape his wards and Disapparate. Severus closed the door and waited for the tingle of magic as she crossed his wards before he retired to his lounge.
Infuriatingly, having already interviewed the other two applicants, he knew Granger was the best of them. But before he could make a decision, Severus had to reconcile himself to the idea of working in close proximity to Granger; something he had always felt he would actively avoid.
*******************
If she hadn't been so in need of employment, Hermione would have told Snape to shove his job offer up his arse. Two weeks he'd made her wait for a reply. Two weeks!. Scoffing, she paused in her pacing to pick up the parchment and read the snotty letter once again.
Ms Granger,
Due to your passable Curriculum Vitae, and your adequate brewing skills, I am
prepared to offer you a position within my employ as a Junior Brewer.
Your hours of work will be flexible, to suit the brewing schedule, but you are
guaranteed six days off a month. However, these may not fall in the week leading up
to the Full Moon, as this week sees an increase in demand for Creature-related
potions. Your wages will be paid monthly, at a basic rate of two hundred Galleons,
with bonuses related to production at quarterly intervals.
You will be at my laboratory at 7am sharp on Monday morning for your induction,
and to receive your brewing schedule for this month.
You are to complete the enclosed form in triplicate, sending one copy to the Ministry,
bringing one with you on Monday, and retaining the final copy for yourself.
Sincerely,
S. Snape
WBP with Honours
WMP with Honours
Member of the Society of Master Brewers
Order of Merlin 2nd Class
Resisting the urge to ball the parchment up and fling it in the hearth, Hermione tossed it onto the table and crossed to put the kettle on. How could one man be so assured of his own superiority? The entire tone of his letter was so demeaning, so holier-than-thou, and it irritated her to no end.
Then, as if to stop her indulging her anger and sending him a sharply worded rejection Owl, the post owl flew through the open kitchen window and held its leg out for payment. Slipping eight Knuts into the pouch, Hermione took the morning Prophet and sighed. A nice, big, sycophantic article on what an amazing Minister Mafalda Young was, and how successful her latest amendment was proving. How something that had only been in place for four weeks could be heralded a success already was beyond Hermione, but as she had no intention of being shunted into a marriage, there was not much she could do except accept the offer of employment, and try not to push Snape into a boiling cauldron.
*******************
"You're working for who?"
"Snape, and will you keep your voice down, Ron!" Hermione snapped, glancing around them to check none of their fellow patrons were listening in. Everyone else was holding their own conversations, which left her and her two best friends relatively undisturbed in their little corner of the pub. Sighing, Hermione drew lines in the condensation on her pint, and continued talking. "He works under a pseudonym, so the two of you cannot go mouthing off about this, okay? I could lose my job before I've even started it."
"Why you'd want to work for that greaseball is anyone's guess."
"Perhaps because I don't fancy being married off to any passing wizard? Not that I'd expect you two to understand, settled as you are with Ginny and Lavender."
Ron had the decency to look embarrassed, but Harry looked thoughtful, and Hermione was resigning herself to yet more defending of her position when he spoke quietly. "I suppose… he might have changed. It might not be so bad."
"You're married so you don't… what? You hate Snape."
Harry shrugged, looking down at his pint to avoid not only Ron's, but Hermione's incredulous gaze. "Well, he might have changed a bit. And Snape hates me."
"Because he was sweetness and light to me!" Hermione snapped sarcastically.
"He employed you, didn't he? Maybe he only hated you because he had to, to survive. He couldn't exactly be nice to you when his every move was getting fed back to Voldemort."
"What about first year? None of us knew Voldemort had returned back then!" Ron said, flattening his hand on the table triumphantly, either because he thought he'd won the argument or because he was finally getting used to saying the name without stuttering.
"No, but Dumbledore always knew he'd come back," Harry countered, sipping at his pint before he continued, "And Snape might have been a bastard, but he was an intelligent bastard. He'd have known there was a chance Voldemort would return and that he would be put back into the trap of being a spy. And even if he didn't think that, considering what he was asked to do in the war can you blame him for being bitter?"
Silence followed Harry's words and Hermione was about to agree when Ron put his pint down and addressed her seriously. "Hermione, have you got a quill?"
"Have I… why?"
"So I can Owl Ginny and ask for Harry's bollocks back."
"Oi!" Harry thumped Ron on the arm and the tense atmosphere that had begun to descend was broken as they laughed together. "You try having three kids and not learning to be tolerant."
"I'm as tolerant as they come, mate."
"Only because you're too scared of what Lavender would do if you weren't!" Hermione chipped in, shielding her face with her hand as Ron ran his fingers over his glass and flicked condensation at her. "Okay, come on. Enough work talk; if I can survive you two, I can survive working with Snape. Ginny said she'd send you with pictures of Lily, Harry; let's see them."
*******************
Granger showed up spot on seven on Monday morning, in a white blouse and prim grey skirt. She looked older than her years, and for a moment Severus saw the toll she had taken from the War. But then she smiled in greeting, and he was reminded that she walked away unscathed and unscarred, a fêted hero who had chosen to fight.
Part of the reason Severus had withdrawn from the Wizarding world was the praise heaped upon those that fought on the side of the light. The younger ones had made no valiant choice, but merely followed in their parents' footsteps like mindless sheep. Granger had done what her friends did, claimed the moral high ground because of this, and it still irritated him greatly.
Leading her down into the laboratory, Severus took a seat at one of the workbenches and waited for her to sit down next to him. Pushing a pile of parchment in front of her, he explained her job, what she would be expected to do, and detailed her schedule for the first few weeks. For her part, she listened intently and didn't question any of his directives. Finishing up, Severus stood and gestured to the lab. "For today, you can acquaint yourself with the lab. I have a standing order from St. Mungo's for various stock potions; produce some of those and learn the feel of the equipment here. Then tomorrow you can begin your assigned potions."
She worked quietly and efficiently, which allowed Severus to focus on his own brewing. Though he was hyper-aware of another person in what had always been his solitary sanctuary, he didn't find Granger's presence as gruelling as he had feared. He'd occasionally look up to check on her and find her silently mouthing the names of the ingredients and the steps she was taking, but she never faltered under his gaze, too engrossed in her own work to feel the weight of his stare.
When the clock chimed midday, Severus looked up and caught sight of the neat vials, all full of Pepper-Up potion. "Are they labelled?"
"Yes; do they need boxing too?"
"They do. Put them in the boxes addressed to St Mungo's, and I will send them after lunch. Do you have any allergies?"
It seemed to take Granger a moment to understand his question, and Severus wondered if he had perhaps been remiss in attributing intelligence to her. "Oh, no, you don't have to cook for me."
"You brought lunch with you?"
"Well, no."
"We are in the middle of the countryside Ms Granger; you are not under the impression you can just pop out, are you?"
"No… no, I'm not," there was a splash of colour in her cheeks as she answered him, her eyes not meeting his.
"Then do you have any allergies?"
"No, none."
"Good. Box these vials and then the kitchen is on the left." Severus swept up the stairs leaving her to box the vials, assuming she would be capable enough to manage that unsupervised. Once in the kitchen he put a pot of tea on the stove and set about preparing lunch. It felt strange to be preparing food for someone other than himself, and Severus subconsciously found himself making an effort, preparing chicken salad sandwiches as well as they could be. As he set both plates on the kitchen table, Granger walked in and cleared her throat. "Tea?"
"Please. Where's the bathroom?"
"At the top of the stairs," Severus made the tea as Granger left, presumably to wash up, and she reappeared just as he was adding the milk and sugar. Putting the cup in front of her plate, he sat down and sipped at his own tea. It felt incredibly strange to be in the company of another person, and Severus wondered if he should attempt to make conversation.
But, as Granger was making no similar effort, Severus decided it would be pointless to try; it was not in his nature and even Granger would see through him.
*******************
Worryingly, after a month working with her, Severus still had no inclination to hex Hermione senseless. He'd even started thinking of her as Hermione, and not Granger. She was occasionally Woman, when she was being particularly trying with regards to potions or making him take Pepper-Up when he had a cold, but even when he spat that at her she just rolled her eyes and slipped the potion in his tea when he wasn't looking. His first mouthful of Pepper-Up laced tea had brought tears to his eyes, not only because the dosage was so high, but because he'd never imagined Hermione could be so underhanded and Slytherin.
She was full of surprises in that manner, and Severus hadn't expected to actually enjoy having someone else working in his lab. She kept to her own side, spoke only when it was necessary, and showed a diligence and aptitude that would take her far. By rights, she could do this job alone and earn a lot more money, but Severus knew that was not an option for her at the moment.
He followed the news, and they talked over meals. Severus despised the new legislations as much as Hermione did, could see in them the seeds of problems that he had lived through once before and did not wish to live through again.
Looking down at the headline of the paper and the article that followed it, Severus sipped his morning tea and waited for the crack of Apparation. As the clock hit seven and he didn't hear it, he became a little worried, but the whoosh of the Floo set his nerves to rest. "You did not Apparate?"
"I'd have splinched myself in anger," Hermione snapped, hanging her cloak on the stand by the kitchen door and sitting at the table, taking the cup Severus had prepared for her and drinking deeply. "It isn’t enough that they tax me almost as much as my wages, and that I'm made to feel like a pariah for not playing happy families, now they're talking about putting us all in hostels!"
"It's merely a suggestion."
"So were the taxes, until that bitch made them law." Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione's strong words - she rarely raised her voice or used coarse language, so to hear her shouting it so violently at the Minister spoke volumes about how angered she was. "Within weeks she'll put it to the vote and all single women will lose their homes and be forced into glorified pens, where impotent little wizards can peruse them like cattle and choose the one they want."
Severus smirked, making Hermione slap her hand down on the table. "What is so funny, Severus?"
"Your over-the-top ire and metaphors. What you are proposing would be tantamount to prostitution and our dear Minister would not allow that."
"Severus, this amendment will take the home of every unmarried woman."
"No, it will suggest that single women live in shared houses to free up homes for couples and young families. In practice, I agree with you, but in theory the two appear different."
Hermione seemed to deflate, her anger seeping out of her as she sipped her tea and Severus watched her. "How can this be? How can people let this happen and why is it only the women who are done down by all these political constraints?"
"Because that is the way it is. The majority of our society are those in families, those who wish to be in a family. As long as the amendments benefit the majority there is no need for those people to fight for the ones who do not benefit."
"And Niemöller is rolling in his grave." Severus quirked a brow in confusion, and Hermione elaborated. "A pastor, a famous poem is attributed to him First They Came…."
"When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out."
"You know it?"
"Of it. Hermione, surely a woman of your intelligence cannot fail to realise that the world works in this way. It is not until the danger comes for them that people even consider fighting back, and you yourself know what a battle resistance is." Hermione's eyes flicked briefly to his neck and Severus fought the urge to cover his scar with his hand. He was relaxed enough in her company to not wear high-necked robes continuously, but there was something about having her see his injuries that unsettled him. Clearing his throat, Severus stood up and gestured towards the corridor. "Perhaps you should use your time away from work to search out a suitable mate."
"I'm not getting married just to satisfy some shrivelled old bint who thinks forcing a generation to procreate won't cause huge problems in twenty years."
As she flounced out of the kitchen and down the stairs into the lab, Severus couldn't help but smile at her. In her own time, she would make someone a good partner.
*******************
Wizengamot votes YES on Amendment 34C
Hermione threw the paper across the kitchen, looking around at her cosy flat and wondering what kind of family would even fit in here, let alone manage to live happily here. But now, if a family decided they wanted to live in her one bedroom flat, under a shag-happy gay couple and next door to a deaf old witch who played the wireless at full volume all night, then Hermione would be forced out of her home. Not with such clear cut methods as an eviction notice, but through crippling taxes if she should refuse.
Not for the first time, Hermione crossed to the phone and picked it up, finger poised to dial her parents' number and announce that she was coming home to them. And not for the first time, she put the phone down and slumped against the wall, torn between wanting to escape the moral madness that had descended on the Wizarding world, and wanting to stay connected to the world she had fought for and felt at home in for the first time in her life.
The world she'd fought for, which was slowly being returned to the same state as the one she'd thought they rescued it from. She couldn't just sit back and take it, couldn't allow herself to be pushed into either an unwanted relationship or financial ruin. Summoning her cloak, Hermione swung it around her shoulders and stepped on the spot, focusing on Severus' home and Apparating directly into his living room.
"Not afraid of splinching this morning?"
"Severus, I think I need to quit."
For a brief moment a look of something like regret swept over Severus' face, but his voice was as steady as always when he asked, "For any particular reason, or merely to escape my foreboding presence?"
"To fight these ridiculous amendments."
"Aaah, of course. And what will this one be? It will be so hard to better spew."
Hermione ignored the jibe and helped herself to tea from the pot, sitting at the other end of the sofa and folding one leg under her. Hidden beneath the teasing was very real concern, and Hermione wondered when exactly she'd learnt how to read what was unsaid in Severus' words. "Do you think I'll have a chance, to challenge these amendments?"
"Honestly? Not without a job. Unemployed and single, you appear a bitter shrew. Retain your job and argue from the standpoint of a career woman."
"Sage advice, or else you just want to keep me around." Severus smiled briefly at her, and Hermione grinned back. "So, you often tell me how omniscient you are; tell me how I should best fight this battle?"
"On their Quidditch pitch. Launch an objection with the Wizengamot, use precedent and past cases to back up yours, and challenge only one amendment. If you win, you can go on to challenge others, and your victory will rally people to your cause much more eloquently than any amount of campaigning. Taking it one step at a time, as they have done, is your greatest chance of success."
Nodding, Hermione drained her cup and set it on the coffee table. "Will you help me?"
"Perhaps."
*******************
Severus had helped her, even going so far as to turn away paltry business to free up more time for them to research. Hermione had enlisted the help of friends and friends of friends, using her persuasive charm to gain supporters. Severus had exchanged tight smiles with these supporters at the first meeting Hermione called to order, but beyond that had kept himself in the background, researching past cases and helping Hermione where she asked for it.
Now, he waited; pacing the lab and giving only slight attention to the cauldrons bubbling away. After almost a year of campaigning, of filling in forms and appealing to members of the Wizengamot, Hermione had secured the full-panel hearing she needed to appeal amendment 34C. Severus had declined to go with her, painfully aware how it would look, a former Death Eater and recluse by her side. But that did not stop him worrying or cursing the clock hands for moving so slowly around the hours.
Hearing the snap of Apparation upstairs, Severus cast stasis charms over his cauldrons and climbed the stairs, coming out into the hallway just as Hermione turned out of the living room. "Well?"
"They upheld the appeal! The amendment will be repealed effective immediately!"
The joy on Hermione's face was infectious and Severus smiled as he stepped forward, driven by the urge to congratulate the woman. Intending nothing more than a brief embrace, Severus found himself angled towards Hermione, her lips against his in a brief kiss. Stunned, Severus drew back, mouth already opening to apologise and excuse himself.
But instead of cursing him or laughing at him, Hermione's hands cupped his face and she leant closer, pressing their lips together in something gentler, more deliberate than the accidental kiss that had startled Severus so. Without really thinking about it, Severus leant into the kiss, resting his hand on Hermione's waist as they embraced. Had his increasing tolerance of her - increasing enjoyment of her company - been something more than platonic admiration?
Pushing the swirling questions to the side, Severus leant back and cleared his throat, trying to keep his expression clear and his voice steady. "Congratulations."
Hermione looked as stunned as he felt as she answered, "I couldn't have done it without you. But this is only the beginning, Severus."
Wondering if she'd intended the words to have so many interpretations, Severus nodded slowly. "Yes, it is."
*******************
It had taken her nearly five years, but Hermione had finally achieved her end goal, had finally repealed not just each increasingly draconian amendment, but the entire Restoring Wizarding Britain directive itself. Apparating home, she descended the stairs carefully and checked that the potions brewing were simple and easy to ignore for a few minutes before she cleared her throat to announce her presence.
Straightening up from the cauldron he was bent over, Severus smiled at her and crossed to where she stood, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek and arching a brow questioningly. Hermione smiled, still a little too overcome to speak without hr voice trembling. "It was a landslide vote to repeal it and it'll be written out of law tomorrow. We've finally done it!"
"You finally did it, Hermione. Though perhaps, as a wife and expectant mother, you may come to regret appealing against so many tax-breaks and financial incentives?"
Laughing, Hermione flattened her hand over Severus' where it lay on the swell of her stomach. "No, of course not. What price freedom of choice?"
"Hmm, we'll see if that's your stance when the bills start rolling in. Children are expensive."
"Then it's lucky my husband owns his own successful business, isn't it," Hermione smiled, leaning up to wipe away Severus' smirk with a kiss.